1. Field Of The Invention
The present invention relates to an improved vehicle with a multi-positionable flat-bed and, more particularly, to an improved apparatus for loading cars or the like onto a bed as of a truck, trailer, train car or the like through mechanisms for effecting a compound slide/tilt/swivel motion of the bed.
2. Description Of The Background Art
It is common to utilize a roll-back, flat-bed truck to quickly load and transport a car which has been disabled, in an accident, illegally parked, or which must be relocated from one sales area to another. In such situations, the transporting truck will be provided with a flat-bed. Flat-beds are normally movable with respect to the bed between a first or rest position on the truck frame and a second or loading position rolled-back and at an angle with respect to the frame so that the car to be transported may be moved thereon. Such beds are pivotable with respect to the truck between the two positions. In some instances the ramps are even capable of swiveling with respect to the truck in order to load cars oriented at awkward angles with respect to the location where the truck may position itself.
One of the more significant shortcomings of known devices is the inability to effect a swiveling motion of the bed when the bed is in the second or loading position, rolled back and tilted with respect to the truck. Such inability of prior art trucks renders them virtually incapable of conveniently loading a car parallel parked with its wheels locked in a turned position. If loading such a car is attempted, there is an undesired scraping of the tires on the ground during movement.
A wide variety of approaches have been attempted in the prior art to overcome such problems. By way of example, note U.S. Pat. No. 2,786,590 to Edwards wherein a flat-bed may be variously repositioned with respect to a vehicle upon which it is positioned. Tilting is allowed in the truck loading embodiment, but without swiveling. In the rail car loading embodiment, swiveling is allowed only in association with an elevator-type arrangement.
In another patent of interest, U.S. Pat. No. 4,470,746 to Delachapelle a bed is pivotable with respect to a truck frame. The bed is also swivelable. But, as shown in FIG. 5, the swivel effecting mechanisms 109 are located at the level of the tires at the center of the frame. As a result, swiveling can only occur when the bed is on the frame which minimizes the utility of the apparatus. Further, no mechanisms are provided to tilt the bed independent of its orientation.
In another body or prior art, there are various devices for effecting the pivoting motion of a bed with respect to a truck frame but without a disclosure of the swiveling in combination with the pivoting in a compound motion. Note U.S. Pat. No. 2,179,611 to Ratcliffe; 2,621,814 to Lisota; 2,703,658 to Bazzell; 4,249,851 to Sedelmayer; 4,456,420 to Newhard; and 4,770,592 to Winter.
These various patents all disclose mechanisms which attempt to solve the problem addressed by the instant invention. All such prior art approaches, however, have failed to offer the benefits attendant with the present invention. The most superior roll-back, flat-bed truck is that disclosed in my prior patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,011,362, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.
As illustrated by the large body of background art and commercial devices, efforts are continuously being made in an attempt to improve roll-back, flat-bed vehicles. No prior effort, however, suggests the present inventive combination of component elements arranged and configured as disclosed herein. Prior roll-back, flat-bed vehicles do not provide the benefits attendant with the present invention. The present invention achieves its purposes, objects and advantages over the prior art through a new, useful and unobvious combination of component elements, through the use of a minimum number of functioning parts, and through the use of only readily available materials and conventional components.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a roll-back, flat-bed truck comprising a cab at the front end and a frame at the rear end and a flat-bed with a curved leading edge secured thereto by securement means, the securement means including a hinge having a lower hinge half coupled to the frame adjacent to the rear end of the frame and an upper hinge half coupled to the bed and a hinge pin coupling the hinge halves to allow tilting the upper hinge half and bed with respect to the lower hinge half and frame about a horizontal axis; a swivel plate attached to the frame adjacent to the rear end of the frame and a swivel member positioned in an aperture extending through the swivel plate to allow swiveling of the bed with respect to the frame about a vertical axis, the center of curvature of the leading edge of the bed doing coextensive with the axis of rotation of the swivel member; an intermediate support attached to the upper surface of the upper hinge half with means to slidably couple the bed thereto to allow for rolling the bed longitudinally with respect to the intermediate support, hinge and frame; a first drive to slide the bed longitudinally with respect to the intermediate support, hinge and frame; a second drive to tilt the bed, intermediate support and upper hinge half with respect to the lower hinge half, swivel plate and frame, and a third drive having a component adjacent to the front end of the intermediate support to swivel the bed, intermediate support and hinge with respect to the frame.
It is a further object of the present invention to move a bed of roll-back, flat-bed vehicle in a compound sliding/tilting/swiveling motion to extend their utility.
It is a further object of the present invention to configure a hinge with one end secured in a first location and with the other end tiltable and with a swivel element for effecting a compound tilting/swiveling motion between elements coupled by the hinge.
It is a further object of the present invention to reduce the width of beds of roll-back, flat-bed trucks and to form such beds with a curved leading edge for elevated exhaust pipes and with lamps thereadjacent.
It is a further object of the present invention to strengthen the swivel mechanisms for roll-back, flat-bed trucks.
It is a further object of the present invention to load and transport cars more conveniently with a roll-back, flat-bed truck.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the invention. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the intended invention. Many other beneficial results can be obtained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.